"What about?" Anders had to resist growling in frustration at her last, feeble attempt to play ignorant.

"About what happened at the Gallows, Gwen."

"Nothing happ-"

"So help me, Gwen, if you tell me nothing happened, I am perfectly prepared to set you on fire." His words had his intended effect, as she cracked a small smile before her face turned serious and she cast her eyes down. He slowly brought his hand into her field of vision, so as not to startle her, and lifted her chin until her eyes met his.

"I'm not naive, love." Her eyes widened, and she looked away again. That wouldn't do, at all. "Love, listen to me. Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault."

"But it was," she whispered. Anders felt Justice scrabbling inside him, trying to get out, to march straight to the Gallows and kill this man and any who would dare touch her. (No. We cannot. It will frighten her. We must not, not yet.)

"Gwen, no-"

"Yes, it was, Anders," she said in a firm voice, pulling away from him. "I made the deal, I kept going back, and I didn't tell anyone." Her tone was becoming increasingly hysterical. "If not my fault, Anders, than whose was it?

"Whose was it?" she whispered.

It was difficult for him to remain calm when she was so intent on letting that monster (and they are the true abomination, they who would abuse their power so) off easy. He took a few deep breaths before he spoke again.

"Even if you did make some sort of deal with this templar, you obviously didn't do so willingly. It was not your fault."

She stood, shaking and staring at him for a moment, before flying into his arms. Sobs wracked her entire frame, and she clung to Anders like a lifeline. Anders rubbed his hands soothingly on her back until her tears dried up. He slowly guided her to one of the plush lounges that were scattered around the library, sitting her down beside him and trying to ignore the death grip she had on his hand. Anders would not push her today, getting her to admit the occurrence had been trying ad triumph enough for one day, so he was not expecting her to speak on her own.

"Bethany and I were walking home one day..."